After playing at the Drive On Championship – Reynolds Lake Oconee, Carlota Ciganda ventured home to Spain before competing on the Ladies European Tour. Playing wall tennis with her boyfriend, Ciganda said she twisted her ankle and landed on her elbow, breaking a bone. The injury took at least four weeks to heal, before returning to the LPGA Tour at the U.S. Women’s Open. Despite a missed cut in Houston, Ciganda is grateful to be competing at the CME Group Tour Championship.
“To be honest, I'm just happy to be here,” said Ciganda, who recorded a first-round 68 to sit in a tie for sixth heading into Friday. “I did three weeks of rehab, lots of treatment and lots of exercises. You do anything to play golf, so I'm just happy to be here competing and playing this week.”
Ciganda is playing in her eighth CME Group Tour Championship, a tournament where she’s recorded two top-10 finishes including a runner-up performance in 2014. Closing out the year still playing in December is a different experience for the 30-year-old, but Ciganda said she likes what Tiburon Golf Club brings out in her game.
“I think the course is playing a little softer, so I think it's playing longer off the tee. But then you can be pretty aggressive to the pins, which is nice. But I think the score will be similar. Maybe couple shots lower. Depends on the wind and the pin positions next few days,” said Ciganda, who carded five birdies in her first 10 holes. “I like how it's playing. You can be pretty aggressive, and that's always fun.”
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